"Yoda, why did you leave Diva alone?"
Rambo was stunned to see a petrified Yoda outside the garage. The man was shivering as if he had seen a ghost. He seemed to have just escaped death.
"Rambo, Rambo, we are all dead. We are all dead. He is going to kill us. I don't want to die this soon," Yoda cried, still unable to believe who they had kidnapped.
How did Selene's scumbag ex become Rhysand Moretti? Where did they stumble in their plan? Wasn't it flawless?
"What are you saying, Yoda? Who is going to kill you?"
Yoda's words made no sense, and Rambo shook his head, silently wondering why he had suddenly gone crazy.
"Where is Maril?"
"She's with him. He is going to kill us all. He is going to kill us." Yoda panicked and his face lost all color. He looked like he was on his deathbed.
"Yoda!" Rambo grabbed Yoda's shoulders and stopped him from moving. He then held his gaze and looked at him sternly. "Calm down. Take a deep breath."
Yoda did as he was asked and took deep breaths. Although this didn't completely calm him, he wasn't hyperventilating anymore.
"Now, please tell me what happened."
"We made a mistake, Rambo. A big, terrible mistake."
"What?" Rambo's brows drew together in confusion.
"I don't know how but we have kidnapped Rhysand Moretti."
Now, Rambo was shocked and his hands dropped beside him, losing all his strength as soon as he heard Rhysand's name. "You are joking. Right? How could we kidnap Rhysand Moretti?"
"I am not joking. He's here, inside. You can check if you want."
"Let's go inside. Maril must be scared out of her wits. How did such a blunder happen?"
"I'm not going in. I don't want to die." Yoda shook his head vehemently.
"Fine. Stay here. I'll take a look."
Yoda stopped him before he took a step.
"No, no. I'll come with you. I can't allow you two to face danger alone."
Although Yoda was scared and had run away from the garage in his fright, he was still concerned about his friends, especially Maril who was facing danger alone inside. He couldn't leave them alone. They were a team and they faced everything together.
"Fine, whatever you want."
Rambo didn't entertain him anymore and sprinted towards the garage entrance with Yoda right behind him.
"Look, Mr. Moretti, I'll let you go. Let's forget all that happened tonight. It was my mistake and I apologize for it. I'm sorry," Maril said in all honesty. She just wanted the sledgehammer aimed at her to head to vanish.
"Lady, do you think a mere sorry will work?" Rhysand threatened, taking complete advantage of the situation and lowkey diverting the conversation towards what he wanted.
"Nobody has ever dared to kidnap me. Do you think I'll let you go because you apologized?"
"Then, what do you want? What should I do for you to forgive me?" Maril was left with no choice. Her lack of preparation and recklessness led to her current predicament. She could only blame herself.
"Are you willing to do anything?" Rhysand questioned, waiting for Maril to jump into the pit he had dug exclusively for her.
"Anything." Maril was anxious to protect herself. She didn't realize that she was signing her soul to the devil himself.
"Fine. Release me first. We'll speak once I am no longer restrained."
"Right."
Maril didn't hesitate and rushed to untie his ropes. She didn't notice how Rhysand's gaze had changed when she was near him. Her focus was all on his restraints. So, she didn't see how tenderly the man was staring at her as if she was his most cherished person.
Maril didn't dawdle and untied the ropes quickly, allowing Rhysand to rise to his height.
Maril was awestruck to see how tall he was. Once again, a strong sense of familiarity hit her. Rhysand's face overlapped the man's face from the previous night. She jolted instantly, too stunned to even accept the possibility.
Her strange reaction didn't go unnoticed by Rhysand. But he didn't probe into it, allowing her to suspect him. Unless she asked him, he wouldn't reveal the truth himself.
"So, what do we do with you?"
Rhysand walked around the garage and inspected the place. He was impressed. The place was well maintained, something he hadn't expected from the men around Maril.
Picking up a baseball bat that was lying haphazardly, he swung it lightly and Maril gulped in horror, a brutal scene flashing in his mind instantly. She stood frozen as she waited for Rhysand to state her punishment.
"Maril!"
Right when Maril was about to lose it, Rambo and Yoda rushed in much to her relief. Her heart that had risen to her throat settled down and her confidence and courage returned.
Rambo stood beside Maril as he studied the man who had never been a part of their plan.
Glancing at the woman beside him he quirked his brows, silently asking her, 'What is he doing here? How did he get here?'
Maril shook her head as she tried to maintain her cool. 'How would I know? I'm as clueless as you are. There must have been a mishap somewhere.'
'What does he want to do now?'
'I have no idea. I tried to appease him and even apologized to him. Let's hope he forgets today's incident and lets us go.'
Rhysand observed the silent conversation between Maril and the man beside her and his jealousy spiked. Swinging the baseball bat in the air, he ensured that the strong swoosh shut the two up and Maril's attention returned to him again.
"So, you aren't alone?" he questioned as if he didn't know that Maril didn't operate alone.
"Mr. Moretti, they aren't responsible for whatever happened. They acted upon my instructions. Spare them," Maril tried not to implicate her underlings.
"No, Diva. We were in this together. Let's face him together," Rambo whispered and Maril glared at him, forcing him to shut up.
'I'm trying to appease the man and reduce our misery. Why are you adding fire to the flame? Can't you see that the knife aimed at our throats?' she scolded him in her mind.
'Why is she glaring at me? I was only trying to help.' Rambo returned with a complaint of his own.
"Fine. Since you so bravely accepted that it was all your fault and the two men were only acting on your instructions, I'll let them go," Rhysand said after some time. He wasn't interested in them anyway.
Maril cheered, her eyes twinkling in joy. "I knew it, Mr. Moretti. You aren't an unreasonable man. You'll never hurt anyone innocent. You'd be a fool if you punished someone for their small mistake."
'Is she scolding me or praising me?' Rhysand chuckled to himself helplessly. 'Your way of thinking is as unique as you, Maril.'
"I'd be a fool if I let go of the person who kidnapped me. Don't you think so?"
Maril shook her head immediately. "No way, Mr. Moretti. What would the world say if you punished someone who had no intention of kidnapping you? You were at the wrong place, at the wrong time?"
"So, it was my fault that I was kidnapped?" Rhysand was amused by her twisted logic. She was smart in a weird way and had a knack for words.
"I didn't mean it that way, Mr. Moretti." Maril denied his words instantly, even though that was what she thought.
If he wasn't at the wrong place at the wrong time, would she have kidnapped him? No. Never.
"I am just saying that the world would praise you and look at you in reverence if you let us go. After all, we didn't mean to kidnap you," Maril suggested, her brows shooting up hopefully.
Rhysand was astonished, more at himself than her. Her twisted logic had convinced him somehow.
"The world already holds me in high regard, Lady."
Maril had no words of argument this time. It was the truth.
"I have a better suggestion," Rhysand started and all three looked at him warily.
"Why don't you agree to one condition of mine and we'll call it even?"